Deputy Preconstruction Director – Sizewell C

Sizewell C is one of the UK’s most significant infrastructure and energy projects. The programme will deliver a new 3.2-gigawatt nuclear power station in Suffolk, providing reliable low-carbon electricity for approximately six million homes and supporting the UK’s long-term energy security.

We are looking for an experienced Deputy Preconstruction Director to join the Civil Works Alliance (CWA), supporting the delivery of the Enabling and Earthworks scope at Sizewell C.

This senior leadership role will play a key part in shaping and coordinating preconstruction activities, ensuring that the project is effectively planned, technically developed and commercially aligned ahead of the main construction phase.

Working closely with the Client, alliance partners, engineering teams, construction teams, commercial and procurement functions, and the wider supply chain, you will help establish the conditions required for safe, efficient and successful project delivery.

This is an opportunity to contribute to the development of a major national infrastructure programme, working within a collaborative alliance environment on one of the UK’s most strategically important energy projects.

The Role

As Deputy Preconstruction Director, you will support the leadership, coordination and delivery of preconstruction activities across the Enabling and Earthworks scope.

You will work closely with the Preconstruction Director and the wider project leadership team to develop and implement preconstruction strategies, establish robust delivery plans and ensure alignment between design development, construction methodology, programme, procurement, commercial objectives and project requirements.

A key part of the role will be ensuring that preconstruction deliverables are developed to the required level of maturity, with risks, opportunities, constraints and interfaces identified and managed ahead of construction.

You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams and work collaboratively across the CWA alliance partners to drive effective decision-making, optimise delivery strategies and ensure that key milestones are achieved.

The role will also involve challenging existing assumptions, identifying opportunities for value engineering and continuous improvement, and promoting practical, safe and cost-effective solutions that support the successful transition from preconstruction into construction.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Preconstruction Director in defining and implementing the preconstruction strategy for the Enabling and Earthworks scope;
• Lead and coordinate preconstruction activities, ensuring deliverables are aligned with project objectives, contractual requirements and key programme milestones;
• Develop, monitor and maintain integrated preconstruction programmes, coordinating design, engineering, construction planning, procurement and commercial activities;
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across the Client, alliance partners, consultants, subcontractors and the wider supply chain;
• Ensure construction methodologies, sequencing, temporary works requirements, logistics and site constraints are appropriately considered during preconstruction;
• Drive the development and review of construction plans, work package strategies, delivery plans and associated preconstruction documentation;
• Identify, assess and manage preconstruction risks, opportunities, constraints, assumptions and technical interfaces, ensuring appropriate mitigation measures are implemented;
• Support cost planning, estimating, commercial reviews, procurement strategies and value engineering activities to optimise project outcomes;
• Challenge proposed solutions to improve safety, constructability, programme certainty, quality and cost efficiency;
• Monitor preconstruction progress, resources, deliverables and performance, providing clear and timely reporting to project leadership;
• Facilitate effective communication and decision-making across the CWA alliance partners, ensuring alignment on priorities, responsibilities and deliverables;
• Manage interfaces between design development, construction planning, procurement, commercial activities and operational requirements;
• Support stakeholder engagement and ensure that relevant client, regulatory, environmental, health and safety requirements are incorporated into preconstruction planning;
• Ensure that lessons learned, innovation and best practices are captured and applied throughout the preconstruction process; and
• Support the effective handover of preconstruction deliverables to construction teams, ensuring readiness for execution and continuity between project phases.

Essential Skills & Experience

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

• Significant experience in preconstruction, project delivery or a senior leadership role within major civil engineering, construction or infrastructure projects;
• Proven experience developing and managing preconstruction strategies, programmes and deliverables for complex projects;
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and drive delivery across a matrix organisation;
• Experience working collaboratively with clients, joint ventures, alliance partners, designers, contractors and specialist supply chain organisations;
• A strong understanding of construction methodologies, sequencing, temporary works, logistics and site delivery constraints;
• Experience coordinating design development, construction planning, procurement and commercial activities during the preconstruction phase;
• Strong commercial awareness, including cost planning, estimating, procurement strategy, risk allocation and value engineering;
• Demonstrable experience in programme management, progress monitoring, risk management and the resolution of complex project interfaces;
• The ability to assess technical and operational constraints and translate project objectives into practical and deliverable construction strategies;
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage effectively at both technical and senior leadership levels;
• A proactive and structured approach to problem-solving, decision-making and continuous improvement;
• A degree-level qualification in civil engineering, construction management or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant professional experience; and
• The ability to operate effectively in a complex, multidisciplinary and commercially driven project environment.

Desirable Experience

Experience in one or more of the following would be particularly advantageous:

• Major infrastructure, nuclear, energy or other highly regulated construction projects;
• Large-scale earthworks, enabling works, site preparation or complex civil engineering packages;
• Preconstruction management within an alliance, joint venture or collaborative contracting environment;
• Development and coordination of integrated construction programmes and work package strategies;
• Management of interfaces between design, construction, procurement, commercial and supply chain functions;
• NEC contracts or other collaborative project delivery and commercial frameworks;
• Risk and opportunity management, cost forecasting and value engineering on major projects;
• Environmental constraints, sustainability requirements and regulatory interfaces within major infrastructure projects; and
• Experience working within a UK construction environment, particularly on large-scale infrastructure programmes.

Personal Attributes

We are looking for someone who is:

• Strategic and delivery-focused – able to translate project objectives into clear, achievable preconstruction plans and priorities;
• A strong leader – capable of motivating teams, coordinating resources and driving accountability across multiple organisations;
• Collaborative – comfortable working across client, engineering, construction, commercial and supply chain teams in an alliance environment;
• Proactive and solutions-oriented – able to anticipate constraints, challenge assumptions and resolve issues before they affect delivery;
• Commercially aware – understands the relationship between technical decisions, cost, programme, procurement and construction performance;
• Programme-driven – focused on milestones, deliverables, progress monitoring and maintaining readiness for construction;
• Constructability-focused – able to identify practical solutions that support safe, efficient and reliable execution on site;
• An effective communicator – confident engaging with senior stakeholders and communicating complex issues clearly;
• Adaptable and resilient – able to manage competing priorities within a demanding, technically complex project environment; and
• Committed to continuous improvement – keen to promote innovation, share knowledge and develop effective ways of working.

Project Environment

The role forms part of the Sizewell C Civil Works Alliance (CWA), bringing together Sizewell C, Balfour Beatty, Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke to support the delivery of one of the UK’s largest infrastructure programmes.

You will operate within a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment, working closely with the Client, alliance partners, engineering and construction teams, commercial and procurement functions, consultants and specialist suppliers.

The position will focus on the Enabling and Earthworks scope, a critical phase in establishing the site and creating the conditions required for the subsequent construction activities.

Working across organisational and technical interfaces, you will contribute to the development of robust construction strategies, effective programme management and coordinated delivery plans, helping ensure that the project progresses safely, efficiently and in line with its strategic objectives.

This is an opportunity to take on a senior preconstruction leadership role within a major nuclear infrastructure programme, influence key project decisions and contribute to the successful delivery of infrastructure that will support the UK’s energy needs for decades to come.

What We Offer

As part of the CWA, you will benefit from working within a major collaborative infrastructure programme supported by Sizewell C and its three delivery partners: Balfour Beatty, Bouygues Travaux Publics and Laing O’Rourke.

The role offers the opportunity to work on a nationally significant project, collaborate with leading industry professionals and contribute to the delivery of complex civil engineering works within a long-term, strategically important programme.

The successful candidate will also have access to a competitive employment package, including salary, annual leave, pension and flexible benefits, in accordance with the applicable employing organisation’s arrangements.